Australian firefighters headed to B.C. to help fight wildfires
A crew of Australian firefighters are on their way to British Columbia as the province battles hundreds of wildfires.
In total, 34 Australian firefighters are scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on Tuesday evening. The crew includes a nine-person management team, which includes specialised leadership workers and technical specialists.
"Australia and Canada have a long history of helping each other out when wildfire activity is high," said B.C. Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy in a release Monday.
"During this extremely challenging fire season, we greatly appreciate the support we’re receiving from Canadian provinces, the federal government and our partners abroad."
The Australian crews will live and work in "bubbles" to minimize COVID-19 risks while in B.C., according to the province.
In total, B.C. has 3,558 people currently involved in wildfire management, including 1,252 contractors.
Other out-of-province personnel include 101 firefighters from Mexico, 134 from Quebec, 61 from Alberta, one from Nova Scotia, 17 Parks Canada staff and approximately 90 Canadian Armed Forces members, with up to 160 more expected by Wednesday.
As of Sunday afternoon, there are 258 active wildfires burning across B.C., mostly in the Interior region.
Some 58 evacuation orders have been issued this summer, alongside 83 evacuation alerts due to wildfires.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.